Last week I was in search for a pair of school shoes. Beginning with classic brogues, I sampled a pair of black loafers and sneakily tried on a pair of Paul Smith Jermyns (with glorious plum laces) before ending up with a pair of not-so-exciting pointed Topman lace-ups. Inspired by this bout of school-shoe shopping I ventured onto Oki-Ni and came across their Doc Martens. Floral. Striped. Coloured. Neon. But then I came across their 1461 shoe and couldn’t believe what I was seeing.

A shoe, in simple black leather, that was more than double the price but half as nice as many of the shoes I had seen the previous day. These Dr. Martens did not look worth their £70 price tag, especially in comparison to my £35 Topman shoes. Granted, the Dr. Martens are probably better quality and might last longer but, are they even that easy on the eye? I, for one, wouldn’t want to be seen in them.

Fashion is fickle, even in times of economic recession. See after the jump for my Top 5 Best on a Budget Smart Shoes.

Sri Lanka, famous exporter of tea, coffee, coconuts, rubber (thanks Wikipedia) and now top quality shirts to your door. Tuk is a small venture from the sunny shores of Sri Lanka producing high quality check and floral print shirts, sourcing unique and high quality Sri Lankan fabrics and using ethical and local tailoring Tuk ensures the quality of their shirts. Fabric is bought in small quantities and each design is made in small runs meaning you’re unlikely to be walking down Oxford Street and see some other chump wear your threads (the Top Shop effect). All the designs are bright and colourful and the cut of the shirts slim making them perfect mod/indie boy staples. All the shirts come in at £55 with no extra for shipping- which is more than reasonable for a one off shirt.